by Jim Thompson |
Last Updated: May 13, 2021 Here at Driving Guide, we realize that every driver in Courtland is in one (or more) of these stages of the driving experience.
Where do you fall on the L.I.S.T.?
Learning:
Drivers Ed in Courtland VA
Before jumping into the Courtland driving environment, you gotta learn how to drive and get licensed. If you are on the front end of the driving spectrum and have spent any time on the VA DMV website, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed. It seems they have gone out of their way to make things confusing. In reality, getting a Virginia license boils down to 4 basic steps.
- Take drivers ed
- Get a provisional permit
- Complete required practice driving
- Pass a road skills test
Virginia drivers ed has two parts. One is behind-the-wheel training, and the other is a classroom portion where new drivers learn things like:
- The basics of being a safe and responsible driver including the necessary knowledge, attitudes, and skills for operating a motor vehicle safely
- Virginia driving laws and rules of the road
- Identification of Virginia road signs and their meanings
- How to drive successfully in dangerous conditions such as heavy traffic, bad weather, construction zones, railroad crossings, and other challenging and potentially hazardous situations
How to Complete Courtland Drivers Ed
In Courtland, the behind-the-wheel portion of drivers ed can be completed at a for-profit driving school or, if it is offered, at your high school.
New drivers in Courtland can complete the classroom portion of drivers ed the same way.
Lucky for drivers ed students in Courtland, the VA DMV has approved an even easier way to get their classroom portion done—online. Taking drivers ed online allows you to learn the state-required material in a place and at a pace that suits you. Talk about convenient!
Virginia has lots of online drivers ed providers. Here are three of our favorites.
VA DMV Approved Online Drivers Ed Providers
Website | Name | Phone | Register NOW! |
 | Drivers Ed.com | 888-651-2886 | |
Best Choice  | I Drive Safely | 800-723-1955 | |
 | Drivers Ed To Go | 866-749-4445 |
For more providers and a more detailed look at the whole Virginia licensing process, check out our First Time Virginia Drivers License Guide.
Improving:
Defensive Driving in Courtland
Virginia defensive driving is a sure-fire way to do just that; if not to improve your driving skills, at least your driving record!
Most drivers in Courtland only consider defensive driving after receiving a citation they want to keep off their driving record. Still, there are many advantages to taking a course without such an invitation. Insurance savings is one (more on that later), but "improvement through refreshment" is another.
Over your lifetime, you have probably taken many tests on a wide variety of topics. Even if you passed them all, could you do it again today? What about your driving test?
Studies have shown that drivers average 2½ mistakes for each mile they drive. If your driving is mistake-free, that means everyone around you is taking up your slack. Don’t think so? Look around. It’s downright frightening to see the blunders made and chances taken by many of the drivers you are sharing the road with every day in Courtland.
A defensive driving course can offer you needed refreshers to improve your driving and teach you strategies to avoid those drivers needing improvement. These courses are offered in traditional classrooms and (much more conveniently) online.
If you Google "Virginia defensive driving," you’ll quickly discover that Virginia has roughly eight kazillion online traffic school providers. To make things easier, here are our top five picks.
VA DMV Approved Online Defensive Driving Providers
Website | Name | Phone | Register NOW! |
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#1 in VA | |||
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Saving:
Best Car Insurance in Courtland
With a population of 1,215, Courtland is a diverse place. How diverse?
- 16% have graduated college
- 55% are homeowners
- 10.1% are veterans
- 42.6% are married; 18.7% are divorced; 28% have never been married
- 5.4% have a household income of $10-15,000 per year; 9.9% have a household income of $100-150,000 per year
No matter where you fall in the above list, you probably have some things in common with the individuals that make up those statistics. While you are taking that average 25.4 minute drive to work, you probably spend at least some time thinking about some of the same things the other drivers in Courtland do. What's waiting for me at work today? Where else would I rather be going? Is there a faster/better/cheaper way to get to there?
Unfortunately, we're neither prophets nor mind-readers, so we can't help with those first two questions. As for the third one, all we can say is that if you're looking for a faster way, rent a helicopter. If you're looking for a better way, consult Google maps. What about a cheaper way? There we can help.
Of all the expenses that come with driving, the one that can be lowered the most easily is the one most people think about last, what they pay for insurance.
When you think about it, insurance is a strange product. What else do you buy hoping you never have to use it? Of course, when you need it you're glad you've got it and, besides, Virginia says you have to have it, so there's that.
Virginia law says that all drivers must carry liability insurance, insurance that covers the "other guy." Courtland drivers are required to have a minimum "25/50/20" liability policy. But what does that even mean?
- The first number refers to how many thousands of dollars the insurance company will pay towards the medical costs of each injured person injured in an accident.
- The second number refers to how many thousands of dollars the insurance company will pay towards the medical costs of all persons injured in an accident.
- The third number refers to how many thousands of dollars the insurance company will pay towards the property damage caused by the accident.
There are other coverages that you need to consider beyond liability. Comprehensive, collision, and uninsured motorist protections are all coverages worth considering, but each can increase the cost of your policy considerably.
What most people don't realize is the incredible difference of what these coverages can cost from company to company.
Insurance rates are determined by a variety of factors:
- The type of car you drive
- Your age
- Your driving record
- Your marital status
- Your gender
- Your credit history
Even things as mundane as your zip code (23837) and your annual mileage can affect your rates. The thing to remember here is that while the state mandates how much coverage you have to buy, it doesn't mandate how much a company has to charge you for that coverage. That's why shopping for insurance is so very important.
Get your free Gabi insurance quote today!
Traveling:
Bucket List Road Trip Ideas in Virginia
No matter what sorts of things you like to do or see, chances are that Virginia's got ‘em. Picturesque small towns? Check. Natural Wonders? Check. Family fun? Check. Historical spots? Check, check, and check.
While commuting in Courtland can be a beating, sometimes a road trip can make you fall in love with driving all over again. To entice you, here are a few of our favorites.
Love History? We Have a Road Trip for That.
From the homes of some of the American Revolutions biggest names to where the War itself came to an end, you can find it all in Virginia.
- Visit Mount Vernon, home of George Washington
- Drive a quick half-hour north to see wonderful Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s plantation.
- For more colonial Americana, don’t miss Williamsburg or the Colonial National Historic Park. The park encompasses both Jamestown and Yorktown, where the Revolution ended.
Love Nature? Virginia definitely has you covered.
From Virginia Beach to Shenandoah National Park, there are beautiful and awe-inspiring natural wonders throughout the state of Virginia. Here are a few that you should check out.
- Luray Caverns an extensive underground system that sometimes feels more like an alien landscape than a terrestrial natural landmark..
- Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, with 14,000 acres of shoreline, fresh and saltwater marshes, wetlands, and forest habitat, these islands are home to more than 320 species of shorebirds and waterfowl. Not enough critters? Then you definitely don’t want to miss the famous wild ponies.
- The Natural Bridge of Virginia. Towering more than 215 feet high with a span of 90 feet, the Natural Bridge is one of America's oldest tourist attractions. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was one of the two most popular sights for European visitors, ranking with Niagara Falls.
Love Learning Something New?
Here are a couple of ideas.
- How about the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center? Spend an afternoon (or a day or two!) enjoying a wide range of exhibits and activities for the entire family. Aquarium residents include several varieties of turtle, including Loggerhead Sea Turtles and Green Sea Turtles, water-dwelling reptiles like Komodo dragons and tomistoma, predators including sandbar sharks, and entertaining mammals including harbor seals and otters.
- If your interests lean more “up in the air” than below the seas, take a trip to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an extension of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The center boasts a wide variety of aircraft spanning every aspect of aviation from the earliest years of flight to the Concorde, and even the Space Shuttle Discovery. You may even catch a glimpse of an aircraft last seen flying in a galaxy far, far away.
The Kid’s Brains Too Full? They Can Let Their Hair Down Here
For some out and out fun for the kid in all of us, consider Busch Gardens. Turning an afternoon in Virginia into a whirlwind trip around Europe. From the dirndl-costumed dancers and a traditional Bavarian band to rides themed to the Loch Ness Monster, the Alps, and the ruins of Pompeii, there’s something for everyone.